Manufacture of filter tipped cigarettes

ABSTRACT

Filter-tipped cigarettes are made by inserting filter sections between spaced axially-moving tobacco sections formed by feeding a continuous tobacco stream on to a segmented wheel comprising segments totalling less than 360*, the tobacco stream being cut to separate it into separate sections on the respective segments, after which the segments are moved apart to space apart the tobacco sections.

United States Patent [1 1 Molins et a1.

[ Dec. 17, 1974 1 MANUFACTURE OF FILTER TIPPED CIGARETTES [75] Inventors: Desmond W. Molins, London,

England; Francis A. M. Labbe, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France; Edward G. Preston; Norman W. Jackson, both of London, England [73] Assignee: Molins Limited, London, England 22 Filed: Oct. 30, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 301,911

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 27, 1972 Great Britain 19712/72 Oct. 29, 1971 Great Britain 50492/71 [52] US. Cl. 131/61 A,,131/94 [51] Int. Cl. A24c 05/52 [58] Field of Search 131/94, 61 A, 61 R, 61 B [56} References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Edwards 131/61 A 2,335,747 11/1943 Edwards [31/61 A 2,742,907 4/1956 Policansky 131/61 A 2,760,493 8/1956 Bell et a1 131/61 A 3,088,468 5/1963 Labbe 131/84 C X 3,527,234 9/1970 Hinzmann.... 131/94 3,731,693 5/1973 Pocock 131/84 C X Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-John F. Pitrelli Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Markva & Smith 1 ABSTRACT Filter-tipped cigarettes are made by inserting filter sections between spaced axially-moving tobacco sections formed by feeding a continuous tobacco stream on to a segmented wheel comprising segments totalling less than 360", the tobacco stream being cut to separate it into separate sections on the respective segments, after which the segments are moved apart to space apart the tobacco sections.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEL SEC 1 71974 SHEET 10F 3 PATENTEQ SEC 1 7 I974 SHEET 20F 3 PATENIE 81 71974 sum 3 OF 3 q m m x X m n wd x \1 w m 3 wsx V A wa w y w w K Jfi MANUFACTURE OF FILTER TIPPED CIGARETTES This invention is concerned with the manufacture of filter-tipped cigarettes by enclosing in a continuous wrapper web a stream consisting of alternate tobacco and filter sections. The continuous rod thus formed is then cut at regular intervals to form separate filtertipped cigarettes.

According to the present invention a machine for making filter-tipped cigarettes comprises means for forming a continuous tobacco stream on a wheel which consists of a number of segments which total less than 360 and are movable relatively to one another about the axis of rotation of the wheel, and including means for controlling the relative positions of the segments so that the segments are adjacent to one another in the region where the continuous stream is formed on them, and are spaced apart after receiving the continuous stream, so as to form spaced tobacco sections which are fed onto a continuous wrapper web with filter sections inserted into the spaces between successive tobacco sections.

The spaced tobacco sections are preferably carried from the segmented wheel to the wrapper web by a further wheel. By this means, more time can be allowed for the acceleration of the segments of the segmented wheel.

Preferably the double filter sections are fed on to the further wheel upstream of the point at which the further wheel receives the tobacco sections.

The segments of the segmented wheel are preferably carried by a drive member which rotates about the axis of the wheel as a whole, and each segment can rotate through a limited distance relative to the drive member about the axis of the wheel and is engaged by a control piece which is pivoted to the drive member and rotates about the pivot in a controlled manner during rotation of the drive member so as to move the corresponding segment relative to the drive member in the required manner.

In a preferred arrangement each control piece is moved about its pivot by the action of a fixed cam cooperating with a cam follower on the control piece. Preferably the control piece engages the segment by means of gear teeth.

The segmented wheel may carry a number of knives which partly or completely separate each tobacco section from the following tobacco section and then remain in position to serve as end walls confining the trailing end of each tobacco section as the corresponding segment accelerates. Alternatively, there could be a separate knife arranged adjacent to the segmented wheel to out between successive segments, in which case the parts carried by the segmented wheels need not necessarily act as knives but may serve instead sim ply as end walls to prevent the trailing end of each tobacco section from being left behind as the segment accelerates.

An example of a cigarette making machine according to this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic overall view of the machine;

FIG. 2 is part of a sectionthrough the segmented wheel in a plane extending along the axis of rotation of the wheel;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section through a different segmented wheel for use in the machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows fragmentary radial sections at lines A to D in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fiat developed section through one of the suction manifolds in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, tobacco is showered upwards by means of air through a chimney 2 and builds up on the underneath surface of a porous band 4 to form a continuous tobacco stream 6. Suction is applied through the band 4 from a suction chamber 8 to hold the tobacco stream 6 on the band. Part of the tobacco stream is trimmed away by a trimmer 10 to produce a substantially uniform tobacco stream.

The arrangement so far described is basically like that of the Molins Mark 8 cigarette making machine, as described for example in British Patent No. 916,141. However, instead of the trimmed tobacco stream being carried by the band 4 directly on to the cigarette wrapper web, as in the Mark 8 machine, the tobacco stream continues partly round a pulley 12 and is received by a segmented wheel 14 at a transfer point 15. In the example shown, the segmented wheel 14 comprises five segments 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D and 14E. FIG. 1 shows the segments in positions in which segment 14A is about to receive a section of the tobacco stream, while segment 14B has just finished receiving a section of the tobacco stream. Segments 14A, 14B and 14C at this point in time are moving with a peripheral speed corresponding to the speed of the band 4. However, segment 14D has begun to accelerate from segment 14C, as shown by the gap 16 between the segments 14C and 14D. The acceleration is completed just before the leading edge of the segment reaches the transfer point 17 at which the tobacco section begins to be transferred to a second transfer wheel 18; during the transfer the peripheral speed of the segment equals that of the wheel 18.

As shown in FIG. 1, the gap 16 at the periphery of the segmented wheel grows to a length sufficient to accommodate double-length filter sections 20 which are placed on the transfer wheel 18 by a feed wheel 22 upstream of the transfer point 17.

The stream thus formed, consisting of alternate sections of tobacco and filters, is carried by the transfer wheel 18 on to a wrapper web 24 which encloses the tobacco and filter sections to form a continuous rod; this rod is subsequently cut in a well known manner through the middles of the tobacco sections and filters, thus forming a stream of axially moving filter-tipped cigarettes.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the construction of the segmented wheel. One of the segments, 14B, is shown in full in FIG. 3. As shown particularly in FIG. 2, each segment includes a part-circular portion 26 of which the periphery is formed with a groove 28 to receive the tobacco stream. The portion 26 is integral with a connecting part 30 which has two ring portions 32 and 34 surrounding a tubular drive member 36. The ring por tions 32 and 34 serve as bearings which allow the segment to rotate througha limited angle around the drive member 36. Each segment includes two ring portions, the positions of these ring portions on the different segments being axially spaced so that all the ring portions can fit around different parts of the drive member. Two

other ring portions 38 forming parts of difl erent segments are shown for example in FIG. 2.

The drive member 36 is rotatably mounted on end bearings 40 (of which only one is shown) surrounding a fixed shaft 42 of which the ends are secured in stationary housing parts 44 and 46. A gear wheel 48 is mounted on the right hand end of the drive member and engages a pinion 50 on an input shaft 52.

The drive member 36 is formed with a radially extending post 54 for eachsegment. Each post carries an axially extending pin 56 on which is mounted a control piece 58 in the-form of a bell crank. One arm of the bell crank is formed with gear teeth 60 which mesh with corresponding gear teeth on the end portion 30A of the part 30 of the segment. Thus rotation of the bell crank about the pivot pin 56 results in rotation of the segment relative to the drive member about the axis of the drive member 36. This rotation is produced by a stationary cam track 62 in which a cam follower roller 64 on the bell crank engages. The cam track 62 extends along a roughly circular path around the axis of rotation of the drive member; the path is not exactly circular but instead deviates inwards and outwards from the circular outline so as to accelerate or retard the segment in relation to the drive member as required by the manner of operation described with reference to FIG. I. The drive member rotates at a set speed which is approximately midway between the lowest and highest speeds of the segments.

Each segment has in addition, at its trailing side, a knife 66 which is pivoted to the segment by a pivot pin 68 and is controlled as to its movement by a connecting rod 70. This rod 70 is urged to the left by a compression spring 72 to an extent determined by the position at any given moment of the face of a cam 74 against which a follower'roller 76 is urged by the action of the spring 72; the follower roller 76 is mounted on a lever 78 which is pivoted to the connecting rod 70 at 80. The cam 74 is so shaped that the knife 66 cuts the tobacco stream in the manner described with reference to FIG. 1 and then remains in position as an end wall until the tobacco stream on the corresponding segment has been transferred to thetransfer'wheel l8.

The knife 66 is shown in chain-dotted outline in its inoperative position. After moving from that position carrying the tobacco stream. A slot 84 is used, rather than a hole corresponding to the hole 88, because suction must be transmitted to the passageway 82 while the segment is rotating slightly with respect to the driving member.

FIG. 1 furthermore shows a rotary knife 92 including a blade 94 which passes through the gap between successive segments to cut the tobacco stream before the leading segment (e.g. 14C in FIG. 1) begins to accelerate from the following segment (e.g. 14B). If such a knife is used, the knives 66 or equivalent parts may still be included to serve as end walls confining the trailing ends of the tobacco sections on the segments.

As an alternative, the knives 66 could be arranged to move radially with respect to the segments, for example under the control of a cam adjacent to the segment portion 26.

Instead of the double filters being fed on to the transfer wheel 18 by the wheel 22, they could be fed dito the completed cutting position shown in solid outline, the knife may move still further so that the wide end portion leaves the groove 28 on the far side (i.e. the right hand side) of the segment portion 26, leaving only the narrower part 66A in the groove; this part 66A has a reduced radial dimension so as to allow thembacco stream to be compressed at the point of transfer from the segmented wheel to the transfer wheel 18, but the reduced part 66A is nevertheless adequate to hold the trailing end of the tobaccostream in the groove in the segment against the effect of the inertia force during acceleration of the segment.

Each segment has numerous passageways 82 leading from a short slot 84 to the bottom of the groove 28. Suction is fed through these passageways when necessary to hold the tobacco stream in the groove. The suction is supplied through an annular slot 86 in the stationary casing part 44, via an aperture 88 in an end flange90 forming part of the driving member. As shown in FIG. 1, the suction slot 86 extends only through approximately 110, that is to say through an are sufficient to apply suction while the segments are rectly on to the wrapper web 24 upstream of the position at which the wrapper web receives the spaced tobacco sections.

Instead of the transfer wheels being in the positions shown, the segmented transfer wheel 14 could for example be directly below the pulley I2, and the wheel 18 could be below the wheel 14. The pulleys carrying the band 4 may then be at heights such that the band is inclined to the horizontal in the sense opposite to that shown; i.e. so that the band is moving obliquely upwards while passing across the top of the chimney 2.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show simple ways of transmitting suction to the segments of the wheel 14. In practice a more elaborate method is preferred. Firstly, it is desirable to close the gap between successive segments in the region of the suction manifold 86 as there is otherwise a tendency for suction in the manifold to be lost owing to the leakage between successive segments when spaced apart. Secondly, it is desirable to be able to connect each part of each segment to the suction manifold only when that part reaches the point at which it receives tobacco from the band 4, and then to discontinue the supply of suction when that part reaches the transfer point 17 between the segmented wheel and the further transfer wheel 18. FIGS. 4 to 6 show how these objectives may be achieved. However, it should be noted that the arrangement shown is one in which it is necessary for the segmented wheel 14 to have an even number of segments, for example 6; the reason for this will appear from the following description.

FIG. 4 is a section in 'a plane normal to the axis of the segmented wheel, showing two adjacent segments and 102 when spaced apart. FIG. 5 shows radial sec tions at lines A, B, C and D. As shown, for example, in FIG. 5A, the housing part 44 is extended radially so as 'to accommodate a second arcuate manifold 86' in addition to the manifold 86. Both of these manifolds are supplied with suction. Each manifold is arranged to supply suction to alternate segments. Of the two segments shown in FIG. 4, the manifold 86 supplies suction to the segment 100, while the manifold 86' supplies suction to the segment 102. The reason for the dual supply of suction is that each segment has arcuate lugs 100A or 102A extending from opposite sides to cover the corresponding manifold when the segments are spaced apart, thus preventing a leakage to atmosphere which would reduce the suction level in the manifolds.

It should be noted furthermore that the port 90 shown in FIG. 2 has been omitted. Instead each of the manifolds 86 and 86' lies immediately adjacent to the segments. However, as shown particularly in FIG. 4, the space within each segment is divided by a number of regularly spaced radial vanes 100B or 102B; these allow suction at any point on the periphery of the seg ment to be supplied or cut off at precisely the right mo ment, that is to say when the space between successive vanes reaches one or other end of the manifold 86 or 86'.

It will be seen that an even number of segments is required because alternate segments must receive suction from different manifolds.

FIG. 6 is a developed flat section through the centre line of the manifold 86, showing all six segments. In addition to segments 100 and 102, there are four further segments 104, 106, 108 and 110. The direction of movement of these segments relative to the manifold 86 is shown by the arrow 112. FIG. 6 shows what happens from the stage XV (corresponding to the transfer point in FIG. 1), through the stage XVII (corresponding to the transfer point 17 in FIG. 1), and back to stage XV. It will be seen that the manifold 86 extends from stage XV to stage XVII and communicates only with the segments 102, 106 and 110. The segments have lugs 102A, 106A and 110A on both sides extending into recesses (e.g. 108C) in the adjoining segments 100, 104 and 108 so as to close off the gap between the segments when they are spaced apart.

Immediately upstream of the stage XV, at which the tobacco is transferred from the band 4 to the segmented wheel, there is a short pressure manifold 114 through which medium-pressure air is supplied so that air blows out of the cooperating segments and helps to hold the tobacco stream on the band immediately before the transfer. Similarly there is a short pressure manifold 116 immediately downstream of the stage XVII.

It will be understood that the segments 100, 104 and 108 are supplied with suction and pressure through manifold 86 in the same way. The manifold 86 is on the same side of the segments as the manifold 86, but it could alternatively be on the opposite side, immediately opposite to the manifold 86, in which case the segments 100, 104 and 108 would have the spaces between successive vanes opening out to the opposite side of the segment; that is to say, the manifold 86 would appear in FIG. 6 as a mirror image of the manifold 86'.

We claim:

1. A cigarette making machine for making filtertipped cigarettes, including means for forming a continuous tobacco stream on a segmented wheel comprising a plurality of segments which total less than 360 and are movable relatively to one another about the axis of rotation of the wheel; a drive member for said wheel, and a crank member associated with each segment of the wheel, each crank member being pivotally connected to the drive member and having a first arm which carries a cam follower arranged to cooperate with a fixed cam extending around the axis of rotation of the wheel, and a second arm formed with gear teeth which engage with gear teeth on a part connected to the corresponding segment, whereby pivotal movement of the crank member in response to action of said cam and cam follower causes relative movement of the segments by accelerating and decelerating each segment when the wheel is rotated by said drive member, so that the segments are adjacent to one another in one region where the continuous tobacco stream is formed on them, and are spaced apart at a second region so as to fonn spaced tobacco sections; and means for inserting filter sections into the spaces between successive tobacco sections.

2. A cigarette making machine for making filtertipped cigarettes, comprising means for forming a continuous tobacco stream on a segmented wheel comprising a plurality of segments which total less than 360 and are movable relatively to one another about the axis of rotation of the wheel; means for cutting the continuous tobacco stream on the segmented wheel, said cutting means comprising a knife member carried adjacent the trailing edge of each segment and operable by a fixed cam, said knife member including a first portion having a radial dimension which is at least substantially equal to the radial dimension of the tobacco stream on the wheel, and a portion having a reduced radial dimension, said knife member being controlled by said cam so that said first portion cuts the tobacco and then, on further movement of the knife member, moves past the tobacco stream to bring the reduced portion into engagement with the trailing end of the tobacco stream section on the corresponding segment, allowing the trailing end portion of the tobacco stream section to be mechanically compressed radially inwards during subsequent transfer of the tobacco stream section; means for controlling the relative positions of the segments whereby the segments are adjacent'to one another in one region where the continuous stream is formed on them, and are spaced apart at a second region so as to form spaced tobacco sections; a transfer conveyor for receiving the spaced tobacco sections from the segmented wheel and for carrying the tobacco sections towards a continuous wrapper web; and means for inserting filter sections into the spaces between successive tobacco sections.

3. A cigarette making machine for making filtertipped cigarettes, comprising means for forming a continuous tobacco stream on a segmented wheel comprising an even number of segments which total less than 360 and are movable relatively to one another about the axis of rotation of the wheel, alternate segments receiving suction from one manifold and the other segments receiving suction from another manifold, including lugs extending between the segments to prevent loss of suction from the manifolds where the segments are spaced apart, the interior of the segments being divided by radial vanes; means for controlling the relative positions of the segments whereby the segments are adjacent to one another in one region where the continuous stream is formed on them, and are spaced apart at a second region so as to form spaced tobacco sections; a transfer conveyor for receiving the spaced tobacco sections from the segmented wheel and for carrying the tobacco sections towards a continuous wrapper web; and means for inserting filter sections into the spaces between successive tobacco sections.

4. A cigarette making machine according to claim 3 wherein said manifolds are arranged on opposite sides of the segmented wheel.

5. A cigarette making machine according to claim 3 wherein said manifolds are spaced radially relative to the segmented wheel. 

1. A cigarette making machine for making filter-tipped cigarettes, including means for forming a continuous tobacco stream on a segmented wheel comprising a plurality of segments which total less than 360* and are movable relatively to one another about the axis of rotation of the wheel; a drive member for said wheel, and a crank member associated with each segment of the wheel, each crank member being pivotally connected to the drive member and having a first arm which carries a cam follower arranged to cooperate with a fixed cam extending around the axis of rotation of the wheel, and a second arm formed with gear teeth which engage with gear teeth on a part connected to the corresponding segment, whereby pivotal movement of the crank member in response to action of said cam and cam follower causes relative movement of the segments by accelerating and decelerating each segment when the wheel is rotated by said drive member, so that the segments are adjacent to one another in one region where the continuous tobacco stream is formed on them, and are spaced apart at a second region so as to form spaced tobacco sections; and means for inserting filter sections into the spaces between successive tobacco sections.
 2. A cigarette making machine for making filter-tipped cigarettes, comprising means for forming a continuous tobacco stream on a segmented wheel comprising a plurality of segments which total less than 360* and are movable relatively to one another about the axis of rotation of the wheel; means for cutting the continuous tobacco stream on the segmented wheel, said cutting means comprising a knife member carried adjacent the trailing edge of each segment and operable by a fixed cam, said knife member including a first portion having a radial dimension which is at least substantially equal to the radial dimension of the tobacco stream on the wheel, and a portion having a reduced radial dimension, said knife member being controlled by said cam so that said first portion cuts the tobacco and then, on further movement of the knife member, moves past the tobacco stream to bring the reduced portion into engagement with the trailing end of the tobacco stream section on the corresponding segment, allowing the trailing end portion of the tobacco stream section to be mechanically compressed radially inwards during subsequent transfer of the tobacco stream section; means for controlling the relative positions of the segments whereby the segments are adjacent to one another in one region where the continuous stream is formed on them, and are spaced apart at a second region so as to form spaced tobacco sections; a transfer conveyor for receiving the spaced tobacco sections from the segmented wheel and for carrying the tobacco sectionS towards a continuous wrapper web; and means for inserting filter sections into the spaces between successive tobacco sections.
 3. A cigarette making machine for making filter-tipped cigarettes, comprising means for forming a continuous tobacco stream on a segmented wheel comprising an even number of segments which total less than 360* and are movable relatively to one another about the axis of rotation of the wheel, alternate segments receiving suction from one manifold and the other segments receiving suction from another manifold, including lugs extending between the segments to prevent loss of suction from the manifolds where the segments are spaced apart, the interior of the segments being divided by radial vanes; means for controlling the relative positions of the segments whereby the segments are adjacent to one another in one region where the continuous stream is formed on them, and are spaced apart at a second region so as to form spaced tobacco sections; a transfer conveyor for receiving the spaced tobacco sections from the segmented wheel and for carrying the tobacco sections towards a continuous wrapper web; and means for inserting filter sections into the spaces between successive tobacco sections.
 4. A cigarette making machine according to claim 3 wherein said manifolds are arranged on opposite sides of the segmented wheel.
 5. A cigarette making machine according to claim 3 wherein said manifolds are spaced radially relative to the segmented wheel. 